Box shaping machine



Feb. 8, 1949. w, LlsLE 2,460,892

' Box SHAPING MACHINE Filed oct. 14, 194e 1N VENTOR.

n 4 ty i A Y A Y TTORNE Patented Feb. 8, 1949 Box SHAHNG MACHINE Wade 'H. Lisle, Kansas City, VMo., assignor to Crook Paper Box Company, North Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application October 14, 1946, Serial No. 703,228

This invention relates to the art f box con'- struction and more specifically to machines adapted to form a box from an initially at blank, apply sealing tapete the abutting edges thereof, and shape the boxin such manner as to assure that the side walls of the box will remain substantially perpendicular to its bottom wall when the box is advanced from the machine in a completed condition.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a box shaping machine having unique mechanism for flexing the side walls ofthe boxas the same advances therethrough in such manner as to exert an additional inward bend to the box at the lines of fold thereof to prevent outward bulging of the sidewalls when'the finished box leaves the machine.

' One of the most aggravating problems now present in the eld of box construction is the provision of automatic means for applying adequate pressure at certain points thereon to form a box that will not bulge outwardly. This tendency to bulge is caused by the failure of the folding 'structure acting on theblank to bend the s-ame at the lines of fold sufficiently to prevent the blank from returning toward the'extended condition as the completed box leaves the forming machine. 1 It is one ofthe most important objects of this invention to provide a box shaping machine having means for obviating the aforesaid problem through the medium of a plurality of recipr-ocable wall'flexing Iassemblies arranged around the box passing through the machine in vsuch manner as to provide one such assembly for each iside wall of the box and disposed to act upon the box in virtually the same manner as might be accomplished by manually pinching the box alongthe lines 'of Yfold by placing the same between the thumb Iand fingers of an operator and pressing together vthe side and bottom walls of the box.

Another important object' of this invention is the provision of a box shaping machine havinga plurality of brackets movable toward and from respective side walls of the box and having a jaw and an arcuate plate thereon f-o-r arching the side Walls'of the box asthe brackets are simultaneously moved inwardly toward'the box, and the additional provision of means underlying the Vbox and movable with the brackets to hold the box in place as the said flexing-action takes place.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a box shaping machine'v having theaforesaid exingassemblies for 'the sidewalls ofthe box, means foi` adjustably-mounti'ng the `jawand plate for movement toward and from the -said underly- 2 Claims. (Cl. 93-53) i Y 2 1 ing portions for the bottom walLandmeans for adjustably mounting the entire flexing assembly on the'movable brackets for movement to and from predetermined positions with respect to the box as it is advanced through the machine.

Many minor objects will be made clear or become apparent during the course of the following specic-ation, referring to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary cross-sectional viewof a box shaping machine made in accordance with my present invention taken on line I-'I of Fig. 2, showing the same in association with the recipro-4 cable form block and box blank; land Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional View thereof taken onlineII-II ofFig. 1. 'l

It is contemplated that the mechanism about tobe described be applicable for mounting 'upon and use with many types of box shaping` ma-v chines, but for purposes of illustration, only -a portion of the frame of such machine has been shownand designated by the numeral it and consisting of a bed having an opening I2' formed therethrough. Such frame carries a form block I4 of such size and shape to conform totheinv nermost contours of the box to be madea'nd'having a reciprocable arm extending upwardly there-y from to move from block l @l vertically toward and away from the opening rI2 in bed l0.- The form of such arm and the manner of mounting the same for reciprocation on the frameof the machine forms no partof this inventionand, 'th're fore, has not been shown. Likewise, only thebox blank hasbeen shown as at l 6 in its position relative to the block I4 prior to movement by the block toward opening I2. Supporting framework underlies the blank I 6 to hold the samein the position shown in Fig. l of the drawing, and this framework is designed so as to vcause the blank I6 to fold about the sides of thevblock I4 as'this block moves downwardly to force" blank 'I6 through such framework.

All such construction of box making machines Vis Well known by those skilled in the art, as is-the thereof as shown in Fig. 2 to sldably receive one leg 24 ofV a bracket 26, through the medium of`- out-turned flanges 28 formed on this leg 24. I

Bracket 26 is L-shaped inl cross-sectional contour and another leg 30 thereof extends upwardly n from leg 24 for movement toward and away from a proximal side wall 32 of the 'box 34 shown inV Fig. 1, as the same reciprocates in the, slot 23., Such reciprocation of the bracket 26 is accom plished in any suitable manner, and in the form illustrated, a disk 36 ismounted for oscillation on thev bed I0 and joined to the leg 24 of bracket 26 by a linlc'. Link 3d is pivotally mounted to disk I36' and' 1eg'24 as at' 4I)` and 42 respectively, and eccentrically with respect tothe axis of oscillation of the disk 3B.

Holding means for the box 34 when it is Vin th position shown in Fig. 1 includes an beha-pcd member having a leg 44 providedwith a Lhshaped groove 464 for receiving the leg i9V of bracket 2S; and aiegi 48 for underlying the bottom wall 50 of box S4, when the assembly is in the posi tion illustrated in the: drawing. A bolt and' wing nut assembly b2` and '54 respectively, constitute the 'means for mounting iegv 44 upon ieg Sii oi the bracket 2E. Bolt 52 passesthrough an' openingV 56 formed near the'uppermost end ofthe leg`44 and through an elongated slot 58 extending longitudinally throughout practically the entire length of leg 30'.

Leg 44 is; likewise providedY with an elongated, longitudinall slot 6E formed intermediate the ends thereof for adjustably mounting a jaw S2 through the medium of a screw or the like 54. Jaw 62 is substantially triangularly-shaped to present abeveled` face 66 for guiding thebox- '34 as the same' is Vadvanced by block I4 as hereinafter more fully explained.

A'relatively narrow, fiat plate 68 is welded or otherwise iixed to the jaw '62 along the normally lowermost edge thereof and extends'transversely across a respective wall 32 oi box 34. One edge 'IB of thisplate V58 forms anparc to the end that the `sidewall 32 is arched in the manner shown in Fig. 2 when in engaging relation therewith.

Assuming the various part-s to be formed and assembled asabove described,-the operation of the device isr'as follows: The blanks I 6 are-automatically fed 'to the position shown in Fig. l of the Vdrawing immediately below form block I4. As this block I4 moves downwardly, the aforesaid' mechanism supporting the blank YIS'will cause the same to fold about the block I4v to a positionsubstantially as shown by box 2l). Oscillation Aoithe disks 38 is synchronized Vwith the Y movement of the block i4 to the end that all of the brackets-26 move outwardly in simultaneous relationv as the blockV I4- reaches the lowermost end of its path of travel. At this point' in the operation of the machine, tape I8 is applied to thejfour upstanding edges of the box, and as the block I4 moves upwardly, disks 3B move to shift brackets toward the box 34 and to a positlon where jaws engage the sides 32 of the box to hold the same as the block I4 moves entirely out of the connes thereof. As the block I4 moves toward the upper end of its path of travel, the brackets 26 continue to move inwardly until the entire assembly reaches the position shown in the drawings. leg 48 holds the( box 34 against further downward movement as the jaws 62 and the plates 68 press against the sides of walls 32. The beveled face 66 of the jaws 62V facilitates in guiding the blank I6 and holding the sides 32 thereof against the block I4 as the box approaches the position in alignment with the plates 68.

. rItisnotabletherefore, that the action of jaws ,-62 and plates G8 which causes inward flexing and arching of the side walls S2, creates a pinching action upon the lines of fold between walls 32 and bottom wall 50, which lines of fold are disposed Abetween the lowermost face of the plates E8 and the legs 48 below bottom wall 5U. As the jaws 62 move'outwardly to'receive the next blank I6, the box 34 is free toeither fall. by gravity to a conveyor belt (not shown) below bed I, or be pushed toward the belt by successive boxes.

The adjustability ofthe member forming legs 44 and 48, through the medium of bolt and nut e2 and 54 and theslot 58 permitspositioning of the leg 48 at the exact level vof the lower face of block I4 when it reaches the `lowerrnost end of itsfpath of travel, and screw 64 and slot Si! permit varying the space betweenv jaws 52 and leg 48, all to the end that boxes having diering heights may be accommodated, and the extent offpinc uponthe lines of fold changed to suit conditions. l

Each of the fourassemblies above described constitutes a separate unit, which when disposed for movement toward and from each other in pairs, and simultaneously through the oscillation of the disks 3S, presents a box shaping mechanism which may be mounted on various typesv of such machines through proper gearing arrangements forming a part of the machine itself. Since the assemblies are identical, each may be manufactured' at a minimum cost, and through the two adjusting structures beY easily applied by those skilled inthe art.

While'oniy one form of the box shaping machine has been :illustratedv and described, it is understood that many modiiications in details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters'Patent is:

1. .In a paper box-machine having a crimping assembly provided with means movable toward and away from a box to be crimped into and out of underlying relationship with a portion of said box, the improvement'oi which comprises a unitary triangularly-shaped guideY block'movable' with 'said means into and out Yof engagement with the box, said blockhaving reieasabie structure disposed remotely from the path of travel ci' said box vas thelatter is'rnoved'toward said means for holding theblock. at selected posi--Y When in this position,

6 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,058,858 Graffenberger Apr. 15, 1913 1,383,697 Davis July 5, 1921 2,218,057 Spake s Oct. 15, 1940 

